Government/Social Structure

JCL Certamen Practice

cursus honorum

course of honors -- steps you take to make it to the highest jobs (quaestor, praetor, consul)

consul

two executives -- elected yearly

praetor

judges (8 elected yearly)

quaestor

treasurers (20 elected yearly)

aedile

in charge of roads and public games (4 elected yearly)

censor

in charge of taking the census and public morals (2 elected every 5 years for 18 months)

dictator

had absolute power in times of emergency; normally ruled 6 months maximum

magister equitum

master of the horse/calvary; assistant to dictator

senator

must be a praetor to enter (serve for life)

tribune

only plebians run; can veto the senate (10 elected yearly)

patricians/optimates

highest class

equites

business class

plebians/populares

lower class

patron

offered protection to freedmen and plebians

cliens

client to a patron

salutatio

visit of client to patron’s house

sportula

cold food basket given to client when he is recieved by patron in his atrium

deductio

patron leads clients to forum

paterfamilias

head of family (family includes wife, children, slaves, and property)

patria potestas

power (of life and death in early times) of paterfamilias over family